Fkeight-tkansfekring mechanism



B. F. FITCH;

FREIGHT TRANSFERRING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1920;

Patented Dec. 5, 1922..

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

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FREIGHT TRANSFERRING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLEnuuL'Y 14,1920.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922...

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FREIGHT TRANSFERRING' MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FlLED JULY I4. I920.

1,437,965, Patented Dec. 5, 19221 4 SHEETSSHEET .3.

B. F. men. FREIGHT TRANSFERRING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JULY [411920.

' 1,437,965, Patented Dec. 5,1922.

4 5HEE TSSHEET 4.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

PATENT OFFICE;

BENJAMIN F. OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

rnnren'r-rnnnsrnnnme MECHANISM.

Application filed lfuly 14, 1920. "Serial no. 396,061.

To all whom it magconoern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FIroH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Freight-Transferring Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawm s. a

I/Iy invention relates I to hoisting and transporting mechanism primarily: adapted for raising and moving the bodies of automobile trucks for use in conjunction with the handling of freight at terminal stations.

My invention is specifically adapted for handling loaded truck bodies in a system for handling and transporting freight asset forth in my prior Patent No. 1,275,145, issued August 6, 1918.

To facilitate the handling of freight, I-

provide a raised freight platform between a railway track and a truck runway and employ a hoisting and conveying mechanism of the gantry in the nature of a crane straddling the platform and arranged to travel longitudinally thereof. This crane has the usual supplemental, frame, on the main frame, adapted totravel transversely of the stationjplatform track and runway. Thus, I may accomplish lifting and carrying aremovablebody from a truck, positioned on one 'sideof a freight platform, to a flat rail road car', pos itioned on the opposite side of the platform, or to any form. r w v i The principal feature of my invention, is the arrangement of a gantry cranebridging a station platform between a' railroad track and street or runway. Other features including the formfland arrangement of cantilever construction ofthe main frame, the novel construction of the supplemental frame, together with various other charac teristics of construction are illustrated, described and claimed in my co -pending appli cation, Serial No. 554A62, filed April 18, 1922. The essential features of this present case, however,-are summarized in the claims.

In thedrawings Fig.1 is a side elevation embodying the featuresof my invention and showing a platform. intermediate a truck and a railroad car; Fig. 2 is an end view of the gantry crane taken 1'1011113113 street side of the platform; Fig. 3 is a plan of the place on the plat-:-

crane with part thereof broken away, to show' details of construction; Fig. 1 is a partial layout of a freight platform.

Designatingthe parts by the use of reference characters in Fig. 1, 1 and 2 represent tracks preferably positioned on the freight platform 3 and on which the wheels stare adapted to travel. These wheels 1 are supported in bearing blocks 5 at the foot of the columns 6, which form a support for a gantry crane. The tracks 1 and 2 extend longitudinally of, the platform- 3 and are spaced apart. an amount sufficient to permit several removable truck bodies"? tobe placed on the platform.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that each bearing block or carriage 5 at the foot of the column carries a pair of wheels, and that there are two pairs of such support ing wheels for each leg of the gantry. Each leg. of the gantry is preferably right triangular in form, and comprises-a vertical leg 6, a base 17, and a hypotenuse 19. The vertical member 6 may be built up of four angle bars riveted back to back. The base and hypotenuse may comprise two angle bars riveted back to back but spaced apart to provide clearance for suitable reinforcing members or lattice work. This type of construction in each leg of the gantry prevents the crane from tipping when it is brought to a stop. Additional strengthening means is provided between the supporting members which travel. on the same track, by connecting bars 18. These bars 18 may b'eangle plates riveted back to back and connected to the gusset plates at the base of the vertical members 6. l

To move the gantry crane longitudinally of the platform, I provide a pinion 8 intermediate the wheels & on the vertical member of one leg of the gantry. The pinion 8 is rotated through a set of beveled gears 9 which are driven through the shaft 10 by another set of beveled gears 11 positioned at the top of the vertical member. Thenpper set of the beveled gears is driven through the worm and wheel 12, and sprocket chain 13, by the motor 1 1. Ashaft 15 on which the worm wheel is secured, extends across the top of the crane and longitudinally thereof, "and operates a set of bevel gears 16, to drive the pair of wheels 4: on the track 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, themain frame of the crane comprises a fabricated rectangular frame, having the longitudinal members 20 and 21 and transverse members 22 and 23. The longitudinal members are preferably angle bars positioned back to back, while the transverse members are preferably channels which are riveted to the ends of the longitudinal beams. The longitudinal member 20 and 21 are positioned at the top of the columns 6 and rigidly secured thereto. 7

To prevent deflection of the longitudinal beams 20 and 21, I provide a truss having the upper chords 24-25, the purlins 26, and

. the reinforcing members 27, the lower ends of the upper chords are preferably secured to the ends of the longitudinal members 20, on the lower chords, by suitable gusset plates 28 -29. The purlins 26 extend transversely of the frame and are rigidly secured to the upper chord of each truss.

In Fig. 2 separated plates 30-31 project inwardly from the base of the lower chords 20 and 21. These plates are reinforced preferably by angles 32 and 83 which are positioned below the lower chords and riveted thereto. Positioned on the top of the plates and extending longitudinally thereof, there may be I-beam supporting members 3435, which carry the tracks 36 and 37.

1 Traveling on the overhead tracks 36 and 37 is a supplemental frame which moves longitudinally of the main frame and therefore transversely of the freight platform. The supplemental frame comprises longitudinal members 40 and 41 with transverse end members 42 and 48. Transverse beams 44 and 45 extending parallel to the end beams 42 and 48 provide bearing surfaces for the wheels 46-47, which travel on the tracks 3637.

To move the supplemental frame along the overhead trackway I provide pinions 48 and 49 intermediate gears on the wheels 46 and 47'and attached to the shaft 50. The shaft 50 may be rotated through the worm wheel 51, the sprocket chain 52 by the motor 53. Suitable control mechanism (not shown) is provided for operating the motor. A mechanical brake may be attached to the motor to retard the motion of the supplemental frame when the motor is disconnected.

Intermediate the ends of the longitudinal members 40 and 41 of the supplemental frame, there may be additional transverse members 54 and 55. Extending between the members54 and 55 and parallel to the longitudinal members 40 and 41 there may be supporting beams 56 and 57. These supporting beams serve to support a hoisting mechanism which will be hereinafter described.

Rotatably mounted 011 the longitudinal beams 40 and 41 are winding drums 58 and 59 which are rigidly secured to the shaft 60. The shaft 60 is rotated through the gear 61 and pinion 62 by the motor 63.

Extending outwardly from the rotating drums 58 and 59 are the cables 64 and 65,

. which pass over sheaves in the blocks 66 and '67, and which are rigidly secured to the transverse beams 54. and 55. The lower ends of the cable may be provided with any suitable load engaging means. I prefer to use loops 68 and 69 which are adapted to engage hooks 70 and 71 on the truck body 7. The cables are so arranged on the winding drums that a movement of the shaft 60 in one direction will wind in the cables, while a movement in the opposite direction will pay out the cables. Obviously when the cables are wound in the load depending therefrom will be raised, and when the cables are paid out the load will be lowered.

As he'reinbefore stated, the body 7 is shownto be provided with engaging hooks 70 and 71. However, it is obvious that I may provide a cradle which depends from the lower ends of the cables, to engage suitable projections on the body 7. The hooks as shown and described have been presented merely for the purpose of illustration.

Suitable control cables 72 and 73 which depend from the supplemental frame are provided, so that an operator may control the'movements of the frame and hoisting elements, from a position on the freight platform.

In Fig. 4, I have shown a partial layout of a freight platform provided with my travelling crane, having the street on one side of the platform with the railroad tracks 81 on the otherside. Assuming that a truck 74 having a loaded body 75 drives beside the platform from another terminal station, then the crane is moved longitudinally until the overhead tra'ckway 36-37 is positioned directly over the removable body 75. In the meantime 'the supplemental frame is moved to the side of the platform on which the truck is standing, while a't'the same time, the cables are being lowered, so that when the main frame stops at the required position, the cables are ready to lift the body from the truck. The body is then lifted fro-1n the truck and moved inwardly and placed upon the platform as at 76. A'loaded body 77 or an empty body 781nay then'be picked up from the platform and loaded on the truck whereupon the truck will leave for a destination as directed by a freight dispatcher. The body which was removed from the truck maythen be placed upon the freight car T9 without incurring any loss of time to the truck.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a crane adapted to travel over three parallel passageways, and to transport a removable automobile truck from one of the passageways to another; that the crane is adapted to lift one body over another and to deposit 'it whenever it isex'pedient to --do" so; and that'I have provided a combination which greatly facilitates the handling of L. (LL. as well as car load shipments. f g

Having thus described my invention,-I claim: i

1. In commandantplatform intermediate a depressed automobile truck runway and a railroad track and raised above them, a crane movable longitudinally of the platform and overhanging both the runway and the track, and hoisting mechanism movable on the craneand transversely of the platform or onto a transportation vehicle posiform, runway and track. o

2. In a freight transfer system of the character described, the combination of'an automobile truck runway, a railroad track on substantially the same level, as the runway and a'raised platform extending longitudinally between the runwayand the'track, a gantry crane and rails therefor at each side of the platform, said crane extending transversely of and overhanging the runway, platform and track, a hoisting mechanism movable on the crane and adapted to raise and carry removable truck bodies,

3. A system for. handling freight comprising loading the freight into removable interchangeable automobile bodies, transporting thebodies to a station platform, depositing some of them on the platform rais ing others and transporting them over those on the platform, andv then. depositing the head hoisting mechanism which is arranged to raise bodies over twice the height of those I I on the supporting surface, andthen depositing the overhead bodieson transportation means. o o

5. A system for handling freight compris ing storing the freightin removable interchangeable automobile bodies, transporting the body to one edge of a stationjplatform, removing it from the transportation means and then depositing it without dispersing the contents interchangeably onto theplattioned at the opposite edge of the platform.

6. In combination, a raised platform a depressed automobile runway extending along one side thereof, a railroad traclron the other side thereof, a set of interchangeable automobile bodies eachhaving load supporting members projecting above the top thereof, a main framev adapted to travel longitudinally of the platform said frame having aboom be lifted and transported from a overhanging both the runway and the tracks,

a supplemental frame carried by the main frame, and four hoisting cables depending from the supplementalframe, said cables being arranged to-c'ooperate with the load supporting members onthe body.

7 In combination, a raisedplatform haviing a depressed automobile runway, a dep'ressed "railroad track extending along the opposite side of the platform, a main frame movable longitudinally of the platform, a

supplemental frame movable transversely thereof, a set of interchangeable automobile bodies on the platform, each of said bodies having pairs of hooks projecting above the top thereof, and hoisting mechanism mounted on the supplemental frame, said mechanism comprising four cables spaced toregister with the body hooks.

8. In combination, a station platform adapted to support removable automobile bodies, means adapted to engage and hoist a body, a trackway extending longitudinally of the platform, whereby the body may be moved longitudinally thereof, there being provision for an automobile truck on one side of and below the platform, and provi- Y sion for a railroad car on the other side of and below the platform, whereby a body may truck to a railroad car.

9. The combination with a station platform intermediate the street and. railroad tracks, of a main frame movable longitudinally ofthe platform, overhead tracks carried by the said frame and extending transversely of the platform, a supplemental frame movableon saidover head tracks, said supplemental frame being substantially rectangular and having .four sets of wheels,

gearing on two of the sets of wheels, a shaft connecting the gears, means for rotating the shaft, anda pair of hoisting drums mounted" I on the supplemental frame.

10. The combination with a. platform adapted to support removable automobile bodies, a depressed automobile truck runway on one side of the platform, railroad tracks on the opposite side of the platform, an overhead trackway extending beyond the sides of the platform, a frame movable on the trackway, four sets of wheels rotatably mounted-on the'frame, gearing on some of said sets of wheels, means carried by the frame for operating said gearing, whereby the frame is caused to move along the trackway therefor, a pair of winding drums on thefframes, four cablesleading from the drums, and means attached to the cables for t raising a load.

izo

11. The combination with a platform adapted to support removable/truck bodies,

of an overhead trackway extending beyond the sides of the platform, a frame movable on thetrackway, four setsof wheels rotatably .mounted on the supplemental frame gearing on two of the said sets of Wheels a shaft extending longitudinally of the supplemental frame and connecting the gears means carried by the frame for operating the shaft whereby the frame is/cause'd to move a pair of Winding drums on the frame,

four cables leading from the dnummand means attached to the cables for raising. a load. I a

In testimony whereofil hereunto afiix my signature.

. 4 BENJAMIN. F. I FITCH. 

